Hontiveros questions "unacceptably low" release of unemployment benefits for pandemic-hit workers

"Sa milyong-milyong Pilipino na nawalan ng trabaho ngayong may pandemya, bakit kakarampot lang ang nabigyan ng unemployment insurance ng Social Security System (SSS)?"

Senator Risa Hontiveros is questioning the "unacceptably low" number of Filipinos who were able to receive unemployment insurance despite the high record unemployment rates amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the budget hearing of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) last week, the senator asked labor officials why the state-run Social Security System (SSS), which services workers from the private sector, was able to release unemployment insurance to only around 34,000 workers as of 01 October, and why there are only 60,000 members bound to receive such benefit.

"Ayon na mismo sa Labor Force Survey ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), may 7.2 million na Pilipino na nawalan ng trabaho nitong Abril. Comparing that to the number of workers who received unemployment benefits from SSS these past few months, that means only 0.83 percent of displaced workers have received assistance from the SSS," she said. "Hindi naman yata katanggap-tanggap na ganyang kaliit lang ang matutulungan ng SSS ngayong marami ang manggagawang nawalan ng trabaho at kita. The DOLE, being on the governing board of the SSS should help rectify this alarming situation."

"Maraming kabababayan natin ang itinatawid ang pagbabayad sa contribution ng SSS kada buwan para kung darating ang panahon ng krisis, may makukunan sila ng tulong pinansyal. Pero bakit ngayong kailangan na ng tulong ng mga kababayan natin na nawalan ng trabaho ay kakaunti lang ang nabibigyan ng dapat na suporta ng SSS?" she said.

Hontiveros also urged DOLE to look into the reasons as to why SSS has been not able to release insurance benefits at a faster and wider scale, including possibly the non-payment or non-remittance of SSS contributions of employers on behalf of their workers. "DOLE must strictly monitor employers and ensure that these entities are able to remit mandatory employee benefits such as SSS contributions, so that in cases of emergencies, the employees will have something to tide them over during the crisis." she added.

Likewise, she called for strict enforcement of the the law and that the government should go after employers who are not paying contributions and punish them to the full extent of the law. "DOLE should be at the forefront of upholding the rights and welfare of workers. Dapat siguraduhing mananagot ang employers na hindi sumusunod sa batas na nagpoprotekta sa ating mga manggagawa." she concluded.